Lynn Biyendolo facts for kids
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Biyendolo with the United States in 2025
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lynn Williams Biyendolo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | Lynn Raenie Williams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | May 21, 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Fresno, California, United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Seattle Reign | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2014 | Pepperdine Waves | 78 | (39) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Western New York Flash | 36 | (15) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2021 | North Carolina Courage | 81 | (42) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | → Western Sydney Wanderers (loan) | 5 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | → Melbourne Victory (loan) | 4 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Kansas City Current | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 40 | (12) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Seattle Reign | 7 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | United States U23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016– | United States | 83 | (25) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 23, 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of July 2, 2025 |
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Lynn Williams Biyendolo (born May 21, 1993) is an American professional soccer player. She plays as a forward for Seattle Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She also plays for the United States national team. Lynn is the NWSL's all-time leading scorer. She was chosen by the Western New York Flash in the 2015 NWSL College Draft after playing for Pepperdine University.
Biyendolo won the NWSL's NWSL Most Valuable Player award in 2016. She also won her first NWSL Championship with the Flash that year. The team later moved and became the North Carolina Courage. Lynn helped North Carolina win three NWSL Shields in a row. They also won two Championships in 2018 and 2019. After five seasons, she was traded to the Kansas City Current. Then she moved to NJ/NY Gotham FC, where she won her fourth championship in 2023.
Lynn Biyendolo first played for the United States national team in 2016. She has won two Olympic medals with the team. She earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She then won a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Contents
Early Life and College Soccer
Lynn Biyendolo was born in Fresno, California. She played soccer at Bullard High School. She was a top player all four years. Lynn set a school record with 117 career goals. She also had 47 assists. In 2011, she scored 50 goals in her senior year. She helped her team win county and section titles. The Fresno Bee newspaper named her Player of the Year.
Playing for Pepperdine Waves (2011–2014)
From 2011 to 2014, Biyendolo played college soccer for the Waves at Pepperdine University. As a freshman, she started all 20 games. She scored six goals and had eight assists. She was named the West Coast Conference (WCC) Freshman of the Year.
In 2012, she scored eight goals and had 19 points. She led the WCC in shots. In 2013, she scored 11 goals in 15 games. She was named National Player of the Week after scoring important goals.
During her senior year, Lynn led the Waves with 14 goals and 10 assists. She helped her team reach the Sweet 16 in the national tournament. She was a finalist for the Hermann Trophy, a top award in college soccer. She was also named a first-team All-American.
Professional Club Career
Western New York Flash (2015–2016)
The Western New York Flash picked Lynn Biyendolo sixth overall in the 2015 NWSL College Draft. She played her first game on April 12, 2015. In her first season, she scored four goals in 17 games.
In 2016, Biyendolo became a star player. She scored 11 goals, tying for the most in the league. She won the Golden Boot award because she had more assists than other top scorers. Lynn was also named the 2016 NWSL Most Valuable Player. In the playoffs, she scored two goals in extra time. This helped the Flash beat the Portland Thorns. In the 2016 NWSL Championship, she scored a tying goal in the last minute. The Flash then won the game in a penalty shootout.
North Carolina Courage (2017–2021)
In 2017, the Western New York Flash team moved and became the North Carolina Courage. Biyendolo scored 9 goals for the Courage in 2017. North Carolina won the NWSL Shield but lost in the Championship game.
Lynn had a great 2018 season. She scored 14 goals, which was second-best in the league. She was named Player of the Week twice. North Carolina won its second NWSL Shield in a row. Biyendolo was a finalist for the NWSL Most Valuable Player award. She played every minute of the playoff games. The Courage won the 2018 NWSL Championship, beating the Portland Thorns 3–0.
Playing in Australia (Loans)
In October 2019, Biyendolo played for Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia on loan. She ended her loan early in February 2020 to focus on her national team. In December 2021, she returned to Australia. She played for Melbourne Victory for one month.
Kansas City Current (2022)
On January 10, 2022, Biyendolo was traded to the Kansas City Current. This trade brought her back with former teammates. However, she got a leg injury on March 18, 2022. She missed the entire 2022 NWSL season because of this injury.
Gotham FC (2023–2024)
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On January 12, 2023, Biyendolo was traded to NJ/NY Gotham FC. She scored the first goal in the championship game against OL Reign. Her goal helped her team win 2–1. This made her the first player to win four NWSL championships.
On May 19, 2024, Biyendolo scored her 79th NWSL goal. She headed the ball into the net against the Chicago Red Stars. This goal made her the league's all-time leading scorer, passing Sam Kerr.
Seattle Reign FC (2025–Present)
On December 20, 2024, Biyendolo joined Seattle Reign. This was part of a trade with Gotham FC. She continues to play as a forward for the Reign.
International Career
After her great 2016 NWSL season, Lynn Biyendolo was called up to the United States national team. She played her first game on October 19, 2016. She scored a goal just 49 seconds after entering the game. This was the fastest debut goal in team history at the time.
In 2017, Biyendolo played in the 2017 SheBelieves Cup. She scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory against Germany. She also played in the 2017 Tournament of Nations.
In 2018, she was part of the team that won the 2018 SheBelieves Cup. She played in the first four games of the year. After a break from the national team, she was called up again in late 2019. This was after new coach Vlatko Andonovski took over. She played in games against Sweden and Costa Rica. In her first five games back, she scored five goals and had five assists.
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On June 23, 2021, Biyendolo was named to the roster for the 2020 Summer Olympics. On July 12, 2024, she was added to the roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics. In the second game of the Olympics, she scored a goal against Germany. She also played as a substitute in the gold medal game against Brazil. The United States won 1–0, earning the gold medal.
Personal Life
Marriage and Family
Lynn Biyendolo met her husband, Marley Biyendolo, at Pepperdine University. They got married on December 8, 2024. Lynn started using her married name, Biyendolo, in 2025. She shared that in her husband's family culture, the last name Biyendolo is very special. It was a name gifted to her father-in-law, making it a unique family tradition.
Podcast and Television
From April 2021 to November 2023, Biyendolo and Sam Mewis hosted a podcast called Snacks. It was about women's soccer. Biyendolo also appeared in a Netflix documentary series. This series followed the USWNT during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. It premiered in the fall of 2023.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Playoffs | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Western New York Flash | 2015 | NWSL | 17 | 4 | — | — | — | 17 | 4 | |||
| 2016 | 19 | 11 | — | 2 | 3 | — | 21 | 14 | ||||
| Total | 36 | 15 | — | 2 | 3 | — | 38 | 18 | ||||
| North Carolina Courage | 2017 | NWSL | 21 | 9 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 23 | 9 | ||
| 2018 | 21 | 14 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 23 | 14 | ||||
| 2019 | 22 | 12 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 24 | 12 | ||||
| 2020 | — | 5 | 3 | — | 4 | 3 | 9 | 6 | ||||
| 2021 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 21 | 7 | |||
| Total | 81 | 42 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 100 | 48 | ||
| Western Sydney Wanderers (loan) | 2019–20 | A-League | 5 | 4 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 4 | ||
| Melbourne Victory (loan) |
2021–22 | 4 | 3 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 3 | |||
| Kansas City Current | 2022 | NWSL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| NJ/NY Gotham FC | 2023 | 17 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | 22 | 10 | ||
| 2024 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 7 | ||
| Total | 33 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 43 | 17 | ||
| Seattle Reign FC | 2025 | NWSL | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Career total | 166 | 76 | 11 | 5 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 138 | 91 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | |||
| 2016 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 11 | 3 | |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2021 | 16 | 5 | |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 12 | 3 | |
| 2024 | 16 | 4 | |
| 2025 | 8 | 4 | |
| Total | 83 | 25 | |
- Scores and results list United States's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Biyendolo goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 19, 2016 | Sandy, Utah | .svg){kind=small} Switzerland |
1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly | |
| 2 | March 1, 2017 | Chester, Pennsylvania |  Germany |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2017 SheBelieves Cup | |
| 3 | September 19, 2017 | Cincinnati, Ohio |  New Zealand |
4–0 | 5–0 | Friendly | |
| 4 | October 22, 2017 | Cary, North Carolina |  South Korea |
5–0 | 6–0 | ||
| 5 | November 10, 2019 | Jacksonville, Florida |  Costa Rica |
3–0 | 6–0 | ||
| 6 | 5–0 | ||||||
| 7 | January 28, 2020 | Houston, Texas |  Haiti |
2–0 | 4–0 | 2020 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying – Group Stage | |
| 8 | January 31, 2020 | Houston, Texas |  Panama |
2–0 | 8–0 | ||
| 9 | February 9, 2020 | Carson, California | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2020 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying – Final | |
| 10 | January 22, 2021 | Orlando, Florida |  Colombia |
4–0 | 6–0 | Friendly | |
| 11 | June 16, 2021 | Austin, Texas |  Nigeria |
2–0 | 2–0 | ||
| 12 | July 30, 2021 | Yokohama, Japan |  Netherlands |
2–1 |
(4–2 p) |
2020 Summer Olympics – Quarterfinal | |
| 13 | September 16, 2021 | Cleveland, Ohio |  Paraguay |
4–0 | 9–0 | Friendly | |
| 14 | October 26, 2021 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | South Korea |
6–0 | 6–0 | ||
| 15 | January 18, 2023 | Wellington, New Zealand | New Zealand |
4–0 | 4–0 | ||
| 16 | September 21, 2023 | Cincinnati, Ohio |  South Africa |
1–0 | 3–0 | ||
| 17 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 18 | February 20, 2024 | Carson, California |  Dominican Republic |
2–0 | 5–0 | 2024 CONCACAF Gold Cup – Group Stage | |
| 19 | July 28, 2024 | Marseille, France | Germany |
4–1 | 4–1 | 2024 Summer Olympics – Group Stage | |
| 20 | October 27, 2024 | Nashville, Tennessee |  Iceland |
1–1 | 3–1 | Friendly | |
| 21 | December 3, 2024 | The Hague, Netherlands | Netherlands |
2–1 | 2–1 | ||
| 22 | January 23, 2025 | Glendale, Arizona | .svg){kind=small} Australia |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2025 SheBelieves Cup | |
| 23 | June 4, 2025 | St. Louis, Missouri |  Jamaica |
3–0 | 4–0 | Friendly | |
| 24 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 25 | June 29, 2025 | Cincinnati, Ohio |  Ireland |
1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
Honors and Awards
Western New York Flash
- NWSL Championship: 2016
North Carolina Courage
- NWSL Championship: 2018, 2019
- NWSL Shield: 2017, 2018, 2019
NJ/NY Gotham FC
- NWSL Championship: 2023
United States National Team
- Summer Olympic Games Gold Medal: 2024
- CONCACAF W Gold Cup: 2024
- SheBelieves Cup: 2018; 2020, 2021; 2022, 2023
- CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament: 2020
- Olympic Bronze Medal: 2020
- Individual Awards
- NWSL Golden Boot: 2016
- NWSL Most Valuable Player: 2016
- NWSL Best XI: 2016, 2023
- NWSL Second XI: 2018
- Hermann Trophy finalist: 2014
See also
In Spanish: Lynn Williams para niños
- List of American and Canadian soccer champions
- List of foreign A-League Women players
